1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for gel electrophoresis, and particularly to an improved vertical gel electrophoresis apparatus.
2. Prior Art
Vertical gel electrophoresis apparatus were first introduced in about 1960. Vertical gel electrophoresis systems now offer laboratory scientists a fully developed and advanced separation technology. They are flexible with regard to the gel media systems, complete and easy to use for analytical and preparative work, and there is substantial documentation in the form of published methodology. Vertical gel electrophoresis systems are utilized for simple to complex separations. They handle proteins, enzymes, hormones, nucleic acids, plant proteins and various tissues. The separations may be analytical in form where the final results are detected by staining, incubation, or radioactive detection. For preparative separation the gel slab is further processed to extract or elute the separated fractions.
Vertical gel electrophoresis apparatus are shown in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,208,929 and 3,374,166. As taught in these patents, and as practiced in the laboratories, the apparatus is assembled and the gel slab is prepared by casting it with the normally vertical gel passageway in a horizontal position. See FIG. 2 of the '929 patent. In casting, a top wall (see wall 45 of the '166 patent or wall 17 of the '929) is utilized to form an end of the casting tray.
After the gel is cast and the apparatus is put in operation with the gel slab in its normal vertical position, this short top wall presents certain operational difficulties. Specifically, the addition of sample to preformed slots in the top of the gel was made tedious by lack of direct access to the gel from above. There was also no simple or easy means to hold a syringe to place the sample and such had to be done tediously and manually.